Refrigerator



F. M. CURRAN..

REFRIGERATOR. APPLICATION FILED MAR. I, 1920.

1380,5'38. I Patented June 7, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l- I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I l l l I F. J.M. CURRAN. REFRIGERATOR. APPLICATION HLED MAR. 1. 1920.

Patend June 7, 192L 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

t UNHTED TAT a iii,

FRANK J. IVI. CURRAN, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

' EFRIGERATOR specification of Letters Patent.

ratentea June a, 1192i.

Appncafipn filed Mrn 1, 1920. serizu No. 882,829.

Refrigerators; and I do -herebydeclare the following to be a full,clear, and exact descripton of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe. same.

This invention relates to refrigerators. It is a primary object andpurpose of my invention to make a refrigerator lining of what is knownas L-shape, this lining being designed to be covered with porcelain onits inner sides and form the lining of the provision receivingcompartments of the refrigerator, and to construct said lining in aparticularly novel and serviceable manner so that the corner where thehorizontal and vertical sides of the lining `1`oin is fully supportedand-hold securely against any tendency to sag under its own weight. Afurther object of the invention is to construct a refrigerator in whichuse is made of said lining, and to provide the same with many novelfeatures of Construction, particularly in a novel manner of finishingthe refrigerator at the door openings and in a novel construction forrendering the doors 'air from which 'the back and ends of the lining'are'made.

Fig. 2 is a perspectivefview showing said blank bent into form to makesaid back and ends of the lining.

Fig. 3 is an elevation of a blank used with the blank shown in Fig. 1 tocomplete the L portion of the lining, except for the bottom and top ofthe Vertical part of said lining.

Fig. 4 shows the blank of Fig. Blbent to form, looking at the same fromthe rear.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the construction shown in Fig. 4. i

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of thecomplete L-shaped lining.

F ig. 7 isa fragmentary Vertical section showing the means used toconnect the lining with the ice box lining at the upper flue openingwhich must be made between the ice box and provision chamber of, therefrigerator. i

Fig. 8 is a plan of a member used to complete the post between thebottom of the lining and the corner of the L.

Fig. 9 is a front elevation thereof.

Fig. 10 is a horizontal section' taken through the lower part of arefrigerator equipped with the lining, the method of finishing therefrigerator at the door openings being shown.

Fig. 11 is a Vertical section through the bottom of the lining, and

F ig. 12 is a horizontall section illustrating the construction used atthe flue opening made in the partition between the ice chamber and theprovision compartment below it.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the different figuresof the drawings.

To construct the lining, there is first provided a blank of sheet metalsuch as shown in Fig. 1, including a relatively wide Vertical portion orsection lfroxn which, at its lower end and at one side a horizontalsection 2 projects. Integral with the section 1 is an end portion 3,which it is w. designed shall be bent forward from the section 1 on thevertical line 4. Similarly a shorter end section 5 is bent forward fromthe part 2, being bent on the line 6. Each of the ends 3 and 5 are bentinwardly toward each other adjacent their front edges, as indicated at7, and thence turned outwardly to make vertical flanges 8 positioned atthe front edges of said sides 3 and 5.

In connection with the form of sheet metal bent into the shape shown inFig. 2 and previously described, a second sheet metal form is used,made' from a blank of Sheet metal a's shown in Fig. 3. The plate 9 ofsheet metal is slitted from its lower edge and a short distance back ofthe front edge thereof upwardly for a distance asindicated at10,'leaving two separated parts 11 and 12. The part 12 is turnedupwardly to horizontal position, being bent along the line 13, and theform thus made is placed so'that the horizontal portion 12 forms a topfor' the outwardly extending part of the lining and the Vertical portion9 parallels the side 3 and lies directly in front of the free edge 'theportion 12 to the upper edge of the back section 2 and of the free endedge of 'said part 12 to the upper edge of the end 5, thereby securingthe two sheet metal forms permanently together.

The usual flue opening 14 is cut through the top'12 while adjacent theupper edge of the side 9, a flue opening 15 is cut, beingpractically'adepression at the upper edgeof said side 9 as shown. Themetal around said depression is turned outwardly making a flange 16bounding the lower side of the depression. Similarly, the metal aroundthe opening 14 is turned upwardly making a continuous flange' 17entirely around the opening.

At the front edge of, the side 9, a width of metal equal to the width ofthe narrow section 11, and in alinement therewith,is bent inwardlytoward the opposite inwardly pressed portion 7 of the end 3, asindicated at 18 and then bent forward as shown at 19. The section 11 issimilarly formed, the formation shownv at 18\ and 19 extending from thelower end of the section 11 to the upper edge of the side 90 Below thehorizontal top 12, a metal reinforce or post is secured to section 11bent into the form described, said post being made from a strlp of metaland formed with a back 21 from which `a flange 22 extends forward at oneedge.

The back 21 is placed against the inwardly .bent portion 18 and weldedthereto, making a stron su ortin post.

The iippieprp end gof the lining made by back 1, and sides 3 and 9 iscompleted by a plate 20 of sheet metal welded into place, it beinprovided with an upturned fiange 2021 at 1ts front.. The bottom is madeby al plate 23 of metal welded to the lower edges of the back portions 1and 2 and the lower edges of the ends 3 and 5. Said bottom is formednear its front with an upraised section extending the full width of thebottom and at its front edge a flange 25 is turned down therefrom.

The complete lining is shown in front elevation inv Fig. 6. The icechamber is located above the top 1,2, its inner side 26 paralleling'thesideL 9 but spaced therefrom as shown in Fig. 7. The'flange 16 extendstoward side 2.6 of the ice chamber and in practice is connected theretoby a coupling 27 formed with'a fiange 28 to bear against the inner side26 of the ice chamber lining and witha* return U-shaped bend 29 whichgrasps 'the 'flange 16 as shown. Any suitable 'wood insulating member30may be disposed between side 9 and side 26'as isusual in` refrigeratorconstruction.

The ice chamber also has a lining, the bot-tom 31 of which has anopening therein coming directly over the opening 14 in the .sulatingmember 36 is likewise used between top 12 of the lL-shaped lining andthe bottom 31 of the ice chamber lining.

The lining constructed as describe is -built into a refrigerator in muchthe usual manner, there being a frame having Vertical side posts 37 andacentral post 38 at the' front against which the fianges 8 come, be-

.ingsecured thereto by screws or other suitablefastenifg means. Thecentral post covers the .metal reinforce shown atv21 and 22 andalso-the. section 11 bent into the back 18 and forwardly extendingflange 19. This frame is in turn coVered by the outside front casing ofthe refrigerator included in which are the Vertical side members 39 andthe central member 40 as shown. Thefianges 20a,

12a and 25 serve to connect the lining at top and bottom to therefrigerator front frame first described and thus firmly secure thelining in place, screws or other suitable fastening means passingthrough the fianges into' horizontal cross members of the frame.

Vertical finishing strips 41 are located one against the part 19 and oneagainst part 22' back `of the post. 38, being secured in place in anysuitable manner. Similar but slightly modified strips 42 are securedback of the posts 37 lying against the inwardly inclined portions 7 ofthe sides of the lining. 'This makes a particularly sanitaryconstruction,

particularly in connection with the inner pprcelain covered sidesof therefrigerator lining. The doors 43 closing the openings at the front ofthe refrigerator are of usual construction but need not be made toclosely fit the doorV o enings as the Vertical edges of posts 37 and 38,as well as the corresponding cross members at the door ,openings lareequipped `with rubber channel shaped strips projecting into the dooropenings in, position to be engaged by the door as shown in F ig. 10,whereby a tight seal against the escape of cold air is made, the rubberyielding readily when the door is closed but alsupported against saggingby'the Vertical part 11 depending therefrom and connected to the bottom'of the ,lining The raise at 24 in the bottom of the lining leaves themajorportion of the lining in a plane be- 'metal member having aVertical slit therein' 'f and durable.

'the appended claims and I consider m self entitled to all constructionswhich fall wlthin the scope thereof.

I claim:

1. In a refriigeratona lining ,comprising an L-shaped back having endsbent forwardV from the outer Vertical edges thereof,. a

' w a short distance back of its front edge extending from its bottomedge to a height,

substantially equal to the horizontal part of the back, the portion ofsaid member back v of the slit being bent upwardly and outwardly tosubstantially horizontal. position, said member being secured'to theback and shorter end of said figrst named portion of the lining,,,abottom secured at the lower edgesfof said back and ends, and atopsecured in place to complete the lining, leavingV the front sideopen, substantially as described.

2. A construction containing the .elements defined in combination inclaim 1, combined with `a reinforcing member secured to the do'wnwardlyextending part of said metal' member in front of the slit and disposedbetween the bottom of the lining and the top of the horizontal portionofthe lining, substantially as described.

3. A' lining for refrigerators com'prising a member of sheet metalhaving an'L-shaped back with ends bent forward fromthe outer Verticaledges thereof, a second ,member of 'sheet metal 'bent to correspond withthe L-shaped angle of the back and welded to the back and upperedge ofthe shorter end,

and a supporting post eXtending downwardly 'from said `Vsecond member atthe front portion thereof, said lining being completed by a metal bottomwelded to the back i and ends at the lower edges thereof and a topwelded to the back, the longer end and said second member at the upperedgesthereof, substantially as describedo 1 4. A refrigerator lining,comprising a receptacle of L-shape open at its front side, and asupporting post disposed at the front thereof between the bottom and thecorner of the receptacle, substantially as and for the purposesdescribed.

5. A lining for'refri eratorscomprisng i w a sheet `metal back of L-sape with ends bent z forward from the outer edges 'thereof, a

second member formed from a plate of sheet `metal slitted a shortdistance back of its front edge and. from its bottom edge upwardly adistance substantially equal to the height of the horizontal portion ofthe L-shaped back,

the p-artthereof back of the slit being bent upwardly to substantiallyhorizontal, said member' being welded to the backand shorter end ,turnedtherefrom' at thev L- shaped angle of the back and upper edge of saidend, a bottom of sheet metal welded to the back and' said ends at thelower edges thereof, and a top welded tothe back, longer side and saidsecond member, at the upper 'edges thereof, substantially as described.

6. A lining for refrigerators as defined int claim 5, in which the partof 'the second `member in front of the slit is'bent toward the longerVertical end of the lining for a distance and then forwardly, and asheet metal 'rei'nforcingl member comp-rised ,of a baek and a portionturned forwardly at one edge thereof, secured thereto, said back beingwelded to the said part of thesecond member in front' of the fslit andsaid for- V wardly turned portion paralleling the forwardly turnedportion of reinforcing member, substantially as described.

7. A-`refrigerator including a lining of L-shape open at its front ;sideand pro- Vided with a post-between. the bottom of the lining and thecorner of the lining abo e the middle part of the bottom, said postbeing located at the front .of the lining, a frameto which the frontedges of the lining are secured, said frame covering the post, and`finishin`g strips located. one alongside each side of the' post and oneagainst the| inner side of each end of the' lining back of the frame,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my si nature. FRANK J. M. OUR AN..

